Housing demolitions: April 2020 to March 2021

Note that this is a period affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which may have had some impact on the figures reported. Due to the pandemic data for 2019-20 was not collected.

The number of dwellings demolished annually can vary considerably from year to year. It will be dependent on the level of development and clearance work within each authority over the period.

Main points

• During 2020-21, 141 dwellings were demolished across Wales, 88% more than 2018-19.
• In the 18 local authorities where demolitions were carried out, the highest numbers were in Neath Port Talbot (30), Flintshire (21), Gwynedd (14) and Cardiff (13).
• 25 renewal area demolitions ^{[footnote a]} took place in 2020-21, accounting for 18% of all demolitions. With 21 occurring in Flintshire and the other 4 in Torfaen.
• Since 2016-17, no demolitions have been carried out on clearance areas in Wales ^{[footnote b]}.

Footnotes

[a] Area based housing renewal schemes enable local authorities to focus activity and investment on areas that combine a need for assistance with the potential for regeneration.

[b] Clearance areas are those where the houses are deemed unfit for human habitation or are dangerous or harmful to the health of the inhabitants. The local authority declares a clearance area when it is satisfied that the most suitable method of dealing with these conditions is the demolition of all the buildings in that area.

Note

We use this information to calculate dwelling stock estimates for Wales.